Flames defenceman Wotherspoon looking to crack defensive unit this season

Tyler Wotherspoon in action against the San Jose Sharks during the regular season. Wotherspoon has a chance to make the team this year if unrestricted free agent Chris Butler doesn't re-sign with the Flames.

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It’s also means the Calgary Flames may have even more need to add an established blueliner or two via trade or the free-agency route before the puck drops for the 2014-15 season.

Defenceman Chris Butler, the key piece received in the trade that sent Robyn Regehr to the Buffalo Sabres in the summer of 2011, reportedly won’t return to the Flames and will become an unrestricted free agent. The Flames didn’t want to comment on the report but that “shouldn’t be interpreted as not going to be re-signed.”

It’s likely Butler will be joined by fellow-defencemen Chris Breen and Derek Smith as former Flames on July 1.

That leaves the Flames with a defence corps of Mark Giordano, TJ Brodie, Dennis Wideman, Ladislav Smid, Kris Russell and Wotherspoon, whose first pro season in 2013-14 included a 14-game stint with the big club but ended due to an early-April shoulder injury which required surgery.

The Flames also have Shane O’Brien under contract, but he’ll have to work extra hard to get back in the team’s good graces after he was jettisoned to the minors despite having a one-way deal.

Butler, 27, the only player on the Flames to skate in all 82 games last season, played in 194 games over three seasons for the team, in which he collected five goals and 39 points and a minus-42 rating.

He was second in the league with 211 blocked shots.

Wotherspoon, the club’s top defenceman prospect, is likely to benefit most from Butler’s departure. The 6-foot-2, 212-lb. blueliner drafted 57th overall in ’11, collected four assists and posted a minus-3 rating during his stint with the Flames.

He skated in 48 games for the AHL Abbotsford Heat and netted nine points and a plus-13 rating.

Wotherspoon was solid in his time in Calgary, especially when paired with Smid.

Calgary’s collection of forwards who are due to become UFAs is headlined by Michael Cammalleri, but also includes Kevin Westgarth, Blair Jones and Ben Street. Jones and Street spent the bulk of the season in the minors.

Goaltender Joey MacDonald, who finished the season as the backup to Karri Ramo in Calgary, is also due to be a UFA.

The Flames do have a couple of pending restricted free-agent defencemen in Mark Cundari, who was acquired in the trade that sent Jay Bouwmeester to the St. Louis Blues late in the 2012-13 season, and Chad Billins.

Note the dates

The Flames will announce their pre-season schedule Friday, but many of the dates have trickled out already with other teams announcing the slate.

Calgary is due to play split-squad games against the Edmonton Oilers on Sept. 21, one in Edmonton and one at the Saddledome, as well as face the Arizona Coyotes in Sylvan Lake on Sept. 24 as part of the Kraft Hockeyville promotion.

The Flames will also play host to the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 2 and travel to Manitoba to face the Jets on Oct. 4.

The regular-season schedule for the whole NHL is expected to be released Sunday.

Get in shape

The Flames Foundation for Life is teaming up with YMCA Calgary to offer a free YMCA membership to all Grade 6 students in Calgary, including team-sponsored activities.

Flames defenceman Wotherspoon looking to crack defensive unit this season

It’s also means the Calgary Flames may have even more need to add an established blueliner or two via trade or the free-agency route before the puck drops for the 2014-15 season.

Defenceman Chris Butler, the key piece received in the trade that sent Robyn Regehr to the Buffalo Sabres in the summer of 2011, reportedly won’t return to the Flames and will become an unrestricted free agent. The Flames didn’t want to comment on the report but that “shouldn’t be interpreted as not going to be re-signed.”

It’s likely Butler will be joined by fellow-defencemen Chris Breen and Derek Smith as former Flames on July 1.

That leaves the Flames with a defence corps of Mark Giordano, TJ Brodie, Dennis Wideman, Ladislav Smid, Kris Russell and Wotherspoon, whose first pro season in 2013-14 included a 14-game stint with the big club but ended due to an early-April shoulder injury which required surgery.